


As Destiny Would Have It

by Tkhan0



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Gen, Spoilers starting from re:coded, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-11-06 07:48:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17935736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tkhan0/pseuds/Tkhan0
Summary: Lea wakes up just a bit earlier upon recompletion.(Slight AU but same outcome, most chapters follow Lea, and most of the emphasis is on the dynamic between him and Isa.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was bored and this popped up into my head so naturally, I said "Fuck it" and proceeded to make cursed content.
> 
> Builds on the events of the Re:coded secret movie "Destiny."

The first thing Lea becomes cognizant of is the fact he has a form, the weight of his body a crushingly heavy contrast to what he had _assumed_ were his last moments. The surface beneath him is cool and smooth and he lets it greedily steal his warmth, head too heavy to lift and eyelids impossible to crack open. There's a faint din in the background, one he distantly recognizes as the murmur of voices. He attempts to coax his consciousness into the simple action of interpreting the words but his brain refuses to cooperate.  
  
Until suddenly the voices stop, and he registers only the sound of movement around the room and footsteps moving about him. For some reason he panicks at this, attempting to spur his body into action, to investigate the voices that have faded into uneasy silence and slow aimless movements. He stirs, emmitting a low groan with the effort.  
  
His effort is rewarded with the return of one of the voices, a surprised inflection to it, to which he finds he can actually understand this time. "Man, you are quite the fighter. You went out quiet, but you still come back kicking and screaming." In the back of his mind Lea registers the voice as being distinctly familiar but the name is on the tip of his toungue, just out of reach.  
  
The voice follows this statement with a nudge to one of his shoulders, as if trying to judge just how responsive he is. Seemingly unimpressed with the response, the owner of the voice's footfalls get further away.  
  
This sparks an intense feeling of anxiety, and the understanding that _something is very wrong here_ pushes his body to its limit, using all his strength to lift his head a few inches off the ground in the general direction of the footsteps and will his eyes open.  
  
The shapes manage to coalesce into forms he can recognize just in time for the figure to turn around and regard him with a shit-eating grin.  
  
"You woke up just in time for our grand exit." He says conjuring up a dark portal behind him as Lea's mind finally connects the dots.  
  
_Xigbar!_  
  
But what's more important to him is the unconscious form draped over his shoulder.  
  
"Sorry, Red, but this party's invitation only."  
  
"Isa...!" He barely manages, hand outstretched uselessly as Xigbar disappears through the portal, his snickers echoing in the room before the portal closes shut behind them.  
  
He struggles to keep his head raised, vision swimming, mind racing with thoughts that slip away like water through his hands.  
  
As his consciousness fades one thought bubbles to the top punctuated with a pang of regret.  
  
_I'm sorry, Isa._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brain didn't want to leave this alone so decided to make this a slight au! I don't need to inundate you all with an exact retelling of the events from DDD to 3 and beyond, so the chapters will probably only be relevant bits and I'll gloss over the other stuff if there's nothing I can add, or if I just feel like theres no point in covering it lol. We all know what happened already!
> 
> Thinking I want to do a chapter post kh3 so it probably wont be considered complete till that at least.
> 
> Chapters might be short and/or erratic but I've got a good portion of the events of DDD written already.

The next time he wakes up, he's exhausted, cold, and confused. What had happened to him? He had fought alongside Sora, then he faded away, and then...  
  
In a single moment memories of what just happened flood back in and he jumps to his feet, nearly toppling over in the process. "Isa!" He shouts, wildly scanning the room for any traces of him, to no avail. He _had_ been here and he definitely did not leave willingly, and that was more than enough reason to panic.  
  
_The portal!_ He remembers they went through a portal and before he can even figure out what's going on, or where he should even try going, he tries to open one himself.  
  
"W-what the..." he trails off when nothing appears. Why wasn't it working? He found that suddenly he didn't really remember how to even make a portal. Out of the corner of his eyes, he catches a glimpse of himself, and goes up to examine the reflection.  
  
_The marks are gone..._ His hand goes up to touch his face instinctively.  
  
He takes a closer look at everyone else, who are beginning to stir, noticing their attire. "We're people again..." But then that means...  
  
The pit in his stomach grew bigger, as a wave of dread washed over him.  
  
_Where did they take you, Isa? And..._  
  
He wasn't sure he wanted to know why.  
  
Great, now he needed to bring back yet _another_  friend.  
  
_That's right,_ he remembers suddenly, _I promised my friends I'd always bring em back_.  
  
He made the promise specifically to Roxas, and he's _so sure_ he made it to someone else too, yet his mind is drawing a blank.  
  
Well it didn't matter. He knew deep down that promise extended to **all**  of his friends. He'd bring back as many as it took.

_At least I know Roxas is safe with Sora. But Isa..._

He didn't like this. Something under-handed was going on here, and his friend was caught up in it again. _But speaking of Sora..._  
  
If anyone knew where the bad guys were it'd be them.


	3. Chapter 3

Now that he wasn't acting completely on impulse he decided to think things through and try again. Sure, he'd forgotten how to open a portal earlier, but maybe if he concentrated hard enough...  
  
_Ok... Where do I want to go?_  
  
That was easy enough. He needed to find Sora.  
  
But where would he find Sora?  
  
_Well maybe I don't need to find him specifically._  
  
Disney Castle. He was bound to run into one of those guys always tagging along with Sora there.  
  
_Ok, focus._ He had very limited knowledge of what Disney Castle looked like or where it even was, but damned if he wasn't going to get there.  
  
Closing his eyes, he focused his will power on summoning a dark corridor, destination in mind. It takes a minute, but it finally appears, and internally he celebrates the mini victory.  
  
He walks a bit through, seeing the exit portal quite a bit a ways down the corridor. As he nears, he suddenly notices a commotion of sorts on the other side. A standoff? _Impeccable timing as always_ he thinks, sighing and picking up speed as he summons his chakrams, just in case he has to join the fray.  
  
Not a moment later he catches sight of a dark fireball, heading directly towards the king and Sora's two companions.  
  
_No!_ On instinct he throws his chakrams the rest of the way through to block the attack.  
  
He makes it through just in time to see Maleficient and Pete sulk off into a corridor of their own.  
  
"Hope I'm not interrupting anything." He says, sly grin on his face.  
  
Before he can even explain why he's here, the King addresses him. "You used a dark corridor to get here? That was reckless!"  
  
He bites back a retort- it's not polite to back talk royalty and he's woe to admit the King was right. Using that corridor spent a lot more energy as a human than it did as a nobody.  
  
"But gee," the King continues "I never expected _you_ to save us, Axel!"  
  
He shakes his head slowly at them, recalling his chakrams to his side before looking up at the king with a triumphant grin. "Axel didn't save you. The name's Lea. Got it memorized?"  
  
"Well then thank you, Lea." The king holds out his hand and Lea stares at it for a second, before awkardly accepting it. "But then what brings you here?"  
  
"Well it's kind of a long story..."  
  
"Then you can tell us on the way back to Master Yen Sid's tower. We've got to get back to Sora and Riku."

* * *

After everyone is caught up to speed, Lea makes a decision.  
  
"Master Yen Sid, I'd like to learn how to wield a keyblade."  
  
"Whaaat?!" The King and his two companions cry out in disbelief at the idea. _Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, guys._  
  
"Why not? How am I supposed to save my friends if I'm just sitting on my thumbs? Besides, by the look of things, you guys could use a new player."  
  
Master Yen Sid briefly contemplates this in silence, until finally he relents. "I knew the dangers of this exam, but due to the nature of the things Sora and Riku must do next I sent them out anyway. And now my all my attempts to locate them end... questionably. Should they require assistance, we may need to interfere. But Xehanort is a master tactician. There is nothing we can do he, to some extent, wouldn't predict. We have no choice but to accept any new help we can get." Lea resists the urge to flash the king and his companions a smirk as an _I told you so_. "But I must warn you," Master Yen Sid continues, grabbing his attention, "The road ahead will be long and difficult."  
  
"Then let's jump into it." He replies, unfazed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clearly how you write multi-chapter fic is by holding onto all the chapters until you're mostly done with the whole fic... right? Haha...
> 
> Ok so, me being bad at updates aside, I'm aiming for roughly 10 chapters total and things are mostly written! I just keep jumping all over the place...

He can't get through training fast enough, and is dejected when he still can't summon a keyblade. He knows time doesn't flow normally here, but he can't shake the feeling he's running out of time. _This isn't fast enough, it's over, I'm already too late too late too-_  
  
He takes a deep breath and tries to collect his thoughts, but the sinking feeling doesn't subside.  
  
Are Sora and Riku ok?  
  
Is Roxas...?  
  
The fear that if he doesn't act now he'll never see Roxas again seizes him and he doesn't care what anyone says, he's leaving and they aren't gonna stop him. Keyblade or no, he needs to make sure his friends are safe, and even though he hasn't really wasted much time at all, he can't spend another second waiting.  
  
The look on everyone's faces when he returns to the tower says it all. Something big is definitely going down. The king has already gone on ahead, so it must be too close for comfort.  
  
"I'm going in. Master Yen Sid, how do I get to them?"  
  
"But you haven't managed to summon a keybl-"  
  
"I can't wait around for the keyblade! If we lose them now I'll never forgive myself."  
  
Master Yen Sid regards him quietly before closing his eyes and releasing a world-weary sigh. "Perhaps you are right. There can be no more stalling; I sense great danger in the realms between. Very well then." Master Yen Sid gets up and strides over to the window, looking up towards the sky.  
  
Back still turned to them, he finally speaks. "It would appear they are in a place you should be quite familiar with."

* * *

He can't help but show off with the flashiest entrance he can imagine, and he enjoys the looks of surprise he gets when he interrupts their little gathering just in time to save Sora.  
  
_I return to humanity and I end up back here not even a day later..._  The memories of this place are still too fresh. Despite the theatrics his throat tightens with the knowledge that Sora- and by extension Roxas- was only seconds away from being lost to Xehanort. The Organization just won't stop ruining his life.  
  
"Axel!" He looks down at Xigbar with contempt. "Axel? Please. The name's Lea. Got it memorized?"  
  
"You're not supposed to be here!"  
  
That remark fills him with indignation. "Oh, did I crash your little party? _So_ sorry." He spits with pure venom, remembering Xigbar's mocking words earlier. "You had your perfect little script, but you kinda forgot to write the sequel. Now, let's see what happens!"  
  
"What now you old coot?!" Lea quickly surveys the room at the momentary lapse in attention. _I followed the trail and it led me here, so then where is...?_  
  
Out of the corner of his eyes he sees one of the hooded figures launch at him, and barely manages to raise his chakram and brace against the attack.  
  
But he does get the answer to his question.  
  
"Isa!" He says, surprise visible, when the hood slides down.  
  
Isa doesn't quite meet his intense stare but his insides still freeze at the sight.  
  
Isa's eyes aren't a vibrant green.  
  
_They're yellow._


	5. Chapter 5

Sora's still asleep, but he only half listens as they discuss their next move. He's got too much on his mind.

_ Great job, hero. You already failed again. _

He had only managed to stop one of his friends from becoming a vessel.

He doesn't get it.  _ Why Isa?! Why him out of everybody that was there?! _

And it all happened so fast!  _ How'd they do it? Was he even awake? Did... _

Had Isa willingly rejoined Organization XIII?

No. He can't afford to start doubting his friends now. Whatever the case was, he'd get the Isa  _ he _ knew back. Somehow.

He focuses again when he overhears someone mention how they all have a connection to Sora, and he makes a small smile at that.

_ Yea, I guess we all do. _ Even though his main connection to Sora is Roxas, Lea realizes he wants the little punk to wake up just as much.

So when they all agree to send Riku in after Sora, he makes sure to let them know he's extending his help too.

"If the darkness gets to ya, I promise I'll bail you out. Dark Rescue's my middle name."  _ Too bad I've been doing a lousy job at it as of recent. _ He knows Sora is in good hands anyway, so he resigns himself to wait. Maybe he can figure out how to materialize a keyblade in the meantime...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, these chapters will get longer soon, I'm telling you.


	6. Interlude: Isa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you thought I was gonna write this without at least one chapter from Isa's pov you don't know me very well. I have many emotions and words for this boy, and I could rewrite this scene a hundred different ways.
> 
> In this universe we pretend only the people who really cared about Xion forgot her, ok? So that means Isa and Even, heck even Ansem the wise (but that's for another day), have got some extra atoning to do, and the only reason Ienzo never tells Sora and crew about her existing in Sora's heart is because Even asks that they don't mention her, so as not to jeopardize things, given the org already asked him to replicate her.

His eyes remain closed as he comes to, memories filtering in as he soaks in feelings he had long since forgotten. He refuses to move, finding he doesn't really have the energy to do so anyway, already overwhelmed by the mere action of existing. Every sensation is amplified, simultaneously thrilling and draining him. The chill of the air around him that permeates his bones and nips at his exposed face. The barely contained questions of _Where?_ and _How?_ that are accompanied by genuine confusion.

 _Crushing guilt and regret_. The overwhelming loneliness of having burned all his bridges. Anger at having been so thoroughly deceived.

He is certain he is human again, but he couldn't even begin to figure out how.

And he's not entirely sure he wants to be.

It was hard enough to keep your bearings when going from years of nothing but shadows of emotion to having the full range of sensations available to you all at once. It probably didn’t help him that it was mostly overwhelmingly negative emotions that seized his heart now.

_The terrible things I did as a member of the Organization... The people I've wronged...I cannot even begin to atone._

He scowls at the fact the first person to come to mind is Lea.

_Lea and..._

Roxas and Xion.

 _They were just kids._ He had taken out his anger at his own inadequacies and falling out with Axel on them. They had not consciously done it, but they had made both of them feel emotions they all should've been incapable of feeling. For him it had been jealousy, but Lea must’ve felt inklings of true happiness the closer he had got to them. Maybe that was why Lea continued to seek their friendship over his. Having access again to a full range of emotions he couldn't say he'd blame him if that were the case.

But he…

He hadn't even seen them as anything more than tools. Obstacles, if nothing else. He was aware of Xion's true nature from the beginning, so where they began to see a person he saw a glorified mannequin in a coat. No... he had  _refused_ to see more than that.

He had let mere children become the object of hatred that shouldn't have even existed and was stupid enough not to question it. It was honestly pathetic.

Somewhere along the way he had lost sight of his original purpose. All he wanted then was to be whole again. But it appeared now that his goal had been hidden under his nose the whole time, cruel irony mocking his idiocy that had bordered lunacy.

Lea was smarter than he had given him credit for if he had managed to figure it out on his own. He had died none the wiser, completely sold on the idea there was no other way he'd regain his heart.

Yet here he was, clearly mistaken if this emotional turbulence was any indication.

But where was here? He still hadn't made a move to determine that.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty, would you get up already? You've got a visitor.”

He startles, caught off guard, falling off the couch he'd been unceremoniously dumped on.

Xigbar just snorts and steps aside. Arms outstretched towards Isa in a manner of presentation, he turns to the so-called visitor as if to say “Ta-da!”

“He's all yours, boss.”

Xigbar crosses the room to sit on the other couch, deciding to simply watch the scene unfold in front of him.

The visitor is in front of him now, arms crossed, foot tapping impatiently as he waits for Isa to get up and straighten himself out. Immediately falling into the habit of bowing to authority, he attempts to do just that before he can process what it is he is even doing and why. He feels the man's eyes bore into him as he takes entirely too long to even just sit upright, before setting a shaky hand on the nearby table and standing up, though in his defense, the impact of hitting the floor alone was enough to send him reeling and disoriented and he suspects it must be some kind of side effect of his still-fresh return from non-existence.

Trying to retain what little dignity he still has, Isa addresses the man, looking in what he _assumes_ is the general direction of his face, because spots are still dancing across his vision. “I don't believe we've been introdu…” he trails off, words catching in his throat as his vision finally clears enough to take in the face of this new figure of authority.

 _“Xehanort.”_ he says breathless, voice barely a whisper.

The man smirks at this. He's younger and not quite as tall as the Xehanort he knew, but there's no mistaking the golden orbs that observe him with faint amusement and curiousity.

The moment is shattered as Xigbar’s raucous laughter fills the room. “The look… on your face... is priceless, kid.” he explains inbetween breaths, just barely managing to point at Isa without doubling over in laughter.

“If you're finished,” not-quite-Xehanort says turning back to glare at Xigbar, annoyance lacing his voice “We've got matters to discuss, so either help me fill him in or shut up.”

“Right, right. Sorry, boss.” Xigbar says, laughter finally dying down. He gets up and crosses over to join them again, before stopping right next to the young man and placing a hand on his shoulder. “In case you haven't put it together, Blue, little man here is basically Xehanort reincarnate. That puts him above both of us on the food chain.”

Xehanort shrugs off his hand with disdain, turning to properly face Isa. “That is more or less correct. I am Xehanort, though not the one you remember. I am Xehanort from the most distant past. I have but one mission; to collect suitable vessels for the me of this time period. The thirteen darknesses… They will form the new Organization XIII.”

Isa takes a few steps back at this, unconsciously trying to put more distance between them, tensing at the words. He jolts when the back of his legs hit the couch.

Xigbar grins razor sharp, like a shark, and takes a step forward, as if sensing the fear the normally stoic Isa is failing to hide. “In other words,” he says, moving closer still, summoning his weapons, “Welcome back to the Organization, Sev.”

If it was fear before, the look on Isa's face could only be described as pure terror. He didn't want this, wasn't ready to give his heart up again, was barely even over the shock of being truly alive in the first place, and it was about to be ripped away from him again.

For a moment, he considers running, scanning the room for the exit with no real plan for escape. As if reading his mind, however, Xehanort speaks up now, drawing a weapon of his own- a keyblade.

“You can run, try to escape, if you'd like. Might even help us ensure that you return again as a nobody. But you cannot escape fate. You are one of the chosen, Saïx.”

“ _Don't call me that!_ ” he hisses at them, like a cornered cat. He looks between the two, sizing them up, determining his options. If he could still use his berserk power he might be able to take them, but he didn't feel any underlying power lingering in him.

Xehanort stops again, amused by his actions. “Just where is it do you think you can go? Who will take you?”

He falters. “The others, they-”

“Don't care about you. As if! You were an insufferable asshole, Sai. Why do you think you're here now?” Xigbar asks. “Lucky for you we're making a whole club of insufferable assholes, so you'll be right at home.”

“ _No…_ Lea, he-”

“Can't help you now.” Xehanort says, taking advantage of his momentary lapse in defense to stride up to him and tilt his face to look him in the eyes. “I'll let you in on a little secret. That mark on your face?” Xehanort lets go of his chin now to start running his fingers down the length of it. “Isn't just for show. Human, Nobody, it doesn't matter. As long as you bear the sigil we'll find you no matter where you go.” Just as suddenly Xehanort's hand leaves his face and he steps back gesturing with arms wide at the room as a whole. “So go ahead and try to escape. You won't of course though. You've already accepted your fate, haven't you?”

His stomach churns, suddenly nauseous at the look of confidence Xehanort has in his answer. “No I…” his voice trembles, just above a whisper. “I don't want to d-”

He doesn't even have time to process it before the blade is stuck through his chest.

“ _Wrong answer._ ”

The blade is removed and he falls to the floor in a blur of pain. He thinks, for one horrible moment, that he actually _feels_ his heart exit his body, before nothingness takes his mind again.

“ _Daaamn_ , cold, bossman! All you Xehanorts are the same. Remind me never to tick you off.”

Xehanort says nothing for a moment, staring at the floor where Isa's body is going up in wisps. “...Debrief him when he reappears. Sora will be here soon.” He says before stalking off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again casually ignoring ultimania canon about nobodies feeling pain of their death upon recompletion cause I didn't know that before I wrote this and that's too hard to incorporate now so fuck it.


	7. Interlude: Saïx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen. I've read the fics, and I'm all about the Saïx and Xion mentor dynamic. But if I've unintentionally written something word for word like someone else has call me out on it cause I couldn't even tell by the end of this and I wouldn't be surprised.

After they were assured there would be no ill-fated attempts at defecting, Saïx was told to prepare for confrontation with the guardians of light. If all went to plan, they would have their 13th vessel in the very same Round Room of old.

He was more than a little surprised said vessel was Sora. He is wholly _unsurprised_ when Sora's friends show up shortly thereafter.

But to say everyone was surprised when _Lea_ of all people shows up, would be an understatement.

But Master Xehanort takes the set-back in stride, grinning at the interruption.

And then he understands. This is the perfect opportunity for them. This is his first test of allegiance, to see if he is truly dedicated to the cause or merely pretending to go along with things. Xehanort knows Isa was once friends with Lea. Saïx is not, and would not hesitate to eliminate faces new and old. He can't afford to arouse suspicion by his lack of action.

He launches from his seat then at where Lea is perched, hood still drawn in the vain hope that maybe if he keeps it up he can avoid the inevitable look of disappointment he is certain to see on Lea's face.

Of course, because nothing can ever go to plan, the hood does not stay up and does not shield him from Lea's piercing stare. But it's not disappointment he sees but rather shock and… concern? It shouldn't surprise him as much as it does but he's never seen him so… _earnest_. Like he'd just come out and said the sky was green rather than attacked him. The hurt he expected is there, but it's not that of betrayal, but something else entirely, something undecipherable. He ends up looking to the side, unable to meet the intensity of that stare.

The moment passes and he's left to ponder what it meant as the guardians and Lea somehow manage to grind their progress to a halt and their time runs out without the Organization securing a thirteenth vessel.

Master Xehanort is undeterred, assuring the guardians the fated time will arrive. As the vessels begin to return to the real worlds and their periods of time, he does his best to mask his curiousity as he manages to meet Lea's eyes this time.

He must return now too, for there is much to do.

They had collected him initially, for he was Xemnas' right hand man, despite being 7th in rank. Even if he wanted to leave- and they were certain that after any initial bouts of defiance he’d wisen up regardless- he was too deeply connected to them. It seems his contributions to the old Organization had not been forgotten. After proving his loyalty in the Round Room he was officially welcomed back as a valued member, half-formed plans of betrayal from the previous Organization unrealized and consequently meaningless. He had failed his own goals, yet he had been so thorough- or maybe so incredibly bad at it that it was of no real concern to them- that he had never truly made it onto their radar.

But they had not collected the person pivotal to the real Organization XIII's plan. The person capable of providing- and refining- the remaining vessels, that will fill out the ranks with the person Xehanort trusts most- himself.

Even.

There was no question that the task had been left to him. Once again, he had been trusted to deal with the things done behind the scenes that kept Organization XIII on track. In fact, this time he was not even tasked with going out and messing around with any of the guardians of light- though perhaps that was intentional given Lea's new alliance with them. Still, he was left mostly to his own devices to secure the remaining vessels. It was the result of the trust he had worked so hard to attain all those years. Now, nearly a decade and a twice-removed heart later, he was finally in a position to use it to his own advantage.

 

* * *

 

After Vexen ensured him he could get one more vessel done and delivered in his spare time, Saïx was given the responsibility of training the new recruits in his stead. The Organization enlisting the help of a new and improved Xion had not been an unplanned coincidence but rather a strategic move on his and Vexen's part. However, he could not say the same of their choice to bring on the Replica Riku. The Organization was really grasping at straws this time.

Still, by pure coincidence, he had been saddled with two children, perhaps as some sort of karmic retribution or the universe playing a joke on him. He felt more like a babysitter each time he supervised them. How did Axel ever manage it?

The Riku Replica, for his part, was raring to go out the gate. "Why am I still training with you losers, again? I don't need a babysitter! Let me at em already!"  

Closing his eyes in annoyance he takes a breath before regarding the replica. “This is for the benefit of Number XIV- er, Xion. She still needs a sparring partner of similar build and power level to practice with.” It still perplexed him how Axel and Roxas had been able to see something in Xion-much less a “she”- where all he saw was a faceless anomaly brought to life, but now that he's trying to he thinks maybe, just maybe, he's starting to see something too.

“So get Vanitas to do it! He's the one who got his ass handed to him anyway.”

“Vanitas is _not_ a replica. Vexen has asked that I test you two in battle and compile a report for that reason. Might I add that _you_ still need the practice too. Xion has laid you flat a number of times as well.”

The replica flushes at that. “Only because you gave her access to two different weapons! How's that a fair fight?!” It was true, Vexen had marveled at her ability to replicate weapons other than her own. She didn't have a reason to replicate anything besides the keyblade in the old Organization but now, given the time, Vexen had to explore it, and had demanded he have Xion replicate his own weapon and teach her how to wield it. He found she was a surprisingly adept learner.

The hooded figure to the right of Replica Riku laughs and punches him lightly on the arm. “You're just a sore loser. Are we gonna fight or what?”

He notes, with muted surprise, that the replica doesn't shrug her off, the corners of his eyes softening like he really _does_ see something there that Saïx doesn't see. Should he put it down to the fact both of them were replicas? Or had they really become that friendly already?

Maybe he's just a terrible babysitter and he didn't notice. It wasn't a far-fetched concept; as much as he had sometimes felt like he was putting up with a child with Lea, he had never actually been too good at consoling them.

“Fine. You're on!”

The two always fought valiantly and surprisingly well for their age, and he found it was never a clear guess who the winner would be. He'd interrupt to give them tips or correct their form, but otherwise he would resign himself to simply observe from the sidelines.

With a pang of guilt he notices, perhaps for the first time, just how young these two still really are. How many young lives- and he dared to consider them that now- was the Organization going to ruin before things were over?

It renews his conviction. Things would never truly be settled until the children hurt by him and his colleagues were able to properly live their lives.

And on that note it seemed he'd have to offer Ienzo an apology should he ever get the chance. He's not the only one, and in truth he had a laundry list of children to apologize to- he couldn't help that a lot of the guardians of light and the key players in this war were comprised of them- but none he had failed as highly as him, who spent the better part of his adolescence as a nobody and whom he had personally ordered the death of in the original organization.

When the session is over and he has recorded enough data, he dismisses them both to their living quarters. Replica Riku gladly takes the dismissal, opening a portal and stalking off without another word but with at least a less-than-frigid nod at Xion to which she reciprocates with a wave before turning back to him. Now that he had been looking for it, he had noticed firsthand how quickly Xion had managed to break out of her shell around people she felt comfortable with. He can only imagine how much more lively she must have been with Roxas and Axel.

He realizes he must have been staring at her when she clears her throat lightly, and he directs his eyes to focus on where hers would be. He cringes when he notices the way she shrinks back slightly under his gaze, unconsciously, as if she were doing it out of habit.

He had asked Vexen if she would retain her memories from her time in the Organization or if she'd be a blank slate.

Vexen had responded that he'd never intended for her to develop a heart and her own identity, and as such had no clue what had happened to it. It was unprecedented and something they would have to keep under close observation. She might remember bits and pieces, but the research indicated that, theoretically, some kind of spark would be needed for her heart to find it's way to her, and with it her full range of memories.

Clearly, her fear of him was something ingrained. He tries to look more approachable as he addresses her. “Do you need something,  Xion?”

She fidgets, seemingly uncomfortable with whatever she wants to ask. “When the battle comes, will I be fighting with you?”

“Yes, I will likely be paired with you.”

“I see… But who will we be fighting?”

His face hardens. He had been meaning to explain those things eventually himself but he hadn't expected her to ask so suddenly. “We will be fighting…” he pauses thinking of how to explain but gives up and settles for “your friends.”

“My friends?”

“Yes. People who cared about you, and who you cared about too. You might remember some things about them. One was tall with ridiculous red hair, the other was your height with less-ridiculous blonde hair.”

She clutches where her heart would be, as if remembering a sensation. “...I don't want to fight them.”

He hesitates, before deciding to lower himself onto one knee so that he may be eye level with her, and places both of his hands on her shoulders, hoping that it is a placating motion and not just making her uncomfortable. “I know. But I promise you won't be fighting them for long. Once they recognize it's you, they won't want to fight either. And, provided no one gets in the way, you will be able to join them then.”

“But will you still fight them?”

“Yes… Someone will still have to fight them. And it may be me who ends up getting in your way. You may not be willing to act against me now because I am your superior, but when the time comes I will not blame you for joining them. You have my express permission to join them in cutting me down.”

“O-oh. Are they not your friends too?”

A bitter smile plays at his features. “Not exactly. I’ve fought the blonde one in the past. He is a formidable opponent, so do not worry about him. I'm certain I won't be able to hurt him anyway. But the red one… there's a chance he may not want you all to fight me. He'll try to talk me down from it, and he'll try to stop you guys from fighting me. But you can't let him do that.”

“Why?”

“Because no one will be able to talk me down. I as well as you want your friends to succeed. I want them and the guardians of light to take down Xehanort, for he is a delusional old man who seeks to plunge the worlds in darkness. But they will still have to go through me. The Organization will find a way to use me against the guardians if they do not destroy me, and I do not wish to gravely injure any of them.”

“Will… they turn me against my friends too, if I join them?”

“I cannot guarantee that the Organization won't, but I will try to ensure that does not happen, as will they. Your friends won't let the Organization have power over you.” He stands back up now, assuming that's the end of the conversation, but she does not move.

Instead, she looks down for a moment, in what he thinks must be concentration, before asking “Are you not my friend?”

“I- W-what? Why do you ask that?”

“You sound like you care about me.”

“W-well yes but-”

“Well I care about you too.”

He watches in awe as she removes her hood, and for the first time since he's met her, he sees a person and not a puppet. Short framed black hair and blue eyes, not unlike Sora's.

After the initial shock he manages to stammer out a simple “But why?”

“You seem like a good person to me.”

“I can assure you, I am _not_.”

“But you want me to be with my friends. And you don't want to hurt anyone.”

“Yes… but I still did before. I hurt you too, more than you could ever know. I was cruel and unapologetic to many people.”

She frowns, unconvinced “You aren't being cruel to me right now though.”

“That doesn't make me a good person.”

“But it makes you my friend.”

“Says who?”

“Says me!” she gives him a defiant look, like nothing he says will change her mind, and more now than ever he regrets ever believing she was nothing more than a puppet. This same person who just moments ago still feared him, if only subconsciously, was convinced _he_ was a good person.

He huffs, averting his eyes and crossing his arms, like a child “I cannot even begin to fathom _why_.” But he quickly returns to meet her eyes with a soft smile “But I suppose I can’t change your mind.”

“However,” he continues, expression deadly serious “Your other friends and the guardians of light will still have to fight me.”

“So… I really will have to fight you then?” She actually looks and sounds saddened by this, and he can't remember why he ever doubted her when before his very eyes she became so expressive, and over a person as undeserving of her sympathy as him. She was more of a “person” than he'd been in years.

Maybe he had lost his brain along with his heart back then.

“I am afraid so. But you are strong, so I trust you'll be able to ensure that they… defeat me. I'm counting on you to be my fail-safe.” Perhaps it was selfish of him to ask that she make sure they eradicate a person she only knew currently as a mentor, but he didn't have many options.

“Will you come back, like I did?”

He’s silent, uncertainty clear on his face. “I don't know… what will happen once I fall in battle.” So many people had been lost when Radiant Garden fell- people who did not return the first time Kingdom Hearts was attempted. Could his heart really find its way back to him a second time? He may have tempted fate one too many times.

She looks at him now, conviction in her eyes “You need to come back! So we can all be friends!”

“Hold on there. You can't force friendship. I can't force them to like me. You have the luxury of not knowing, but I'm sure they remember how I treated them.” It's not just Lea or Roxas he's referring to. The guardians of light were all clearly good friends and good people, and he had a hard time picturing himself as an accepted presence amongst their numbers.  

“But if you got the chance to... I think they would like you too. I don't remember their names or faces… but my friends were kind. They would give you a chance.”

He wants so badly to believe that would be the case, but knowing all of Saïx's transgressions he has his doubts.

"I'll take your word for it then. There's nothing I want more than the chance to make things up to them." He says only with the intent to make her feel better, but finds himself daring to hope as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made myself sad by writing Xion as friends with “evil” Replica Riku and probably Vanitas who aren't gonna come back if I go towards canon. Maybe i should do something about that.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The meeting on the clocktower goes a bit differently.

Tomorrow was the day of the fated battle, and if he was being honest, he felt like a colossal failure.

He wasn't any closer to getting Roxas back- not that he'd have any idea how to, he left the sciency stuff to Ienzo and the Radiant Garden crew. He hadn't even _seen_ Isa since their encounter in the sleeping worlds, didn't know if the girl they had been trying to save in the first place was even still _alive_ , and he couldn't shake the feeling he was _still_ forgetting something.

He had let down pretty much everyone he'd ever known.

Not to mention the ice creams he bought were beginning to melt all over his hands.

A voice breaks his contemplative silence, and he nearly drops all of them. “Well that's an excessive amount of ice cream. Did you really need four?”

He looks up at the man before him as if he were an apparition.

“Isa! Where have you been?” Sora had said most of the Organization's members had been spotted poking around the various worlds he visited but Isa hadn't been among the members Sora ran into. Were they keeping him on a short leash or something?

Isa doesn't say anything, instead opting to sit down and grab one of the rapidly melting ice creams.

“Hey!”

“One for you, one for Roxas, and two more because…? Afraid this is the last time you'll get to eat this ice cream?”

“No way! Once everyone's back we’re definitely coming back up here.”

“Everyone? Who is there besides Roxas?”

He doesn't actually know why he said it either, just like he doesn't know what possessed him to purchase four ice creams instead of three but he needs to make something clear.

“Well… The details are kinda hazy, but I'm getting all my friends back. That includes you too, yknow? Don't pretend like you don't like it either, we ate this all the time as kids.”

Isa pauses, hand holding the ice cream hanging in the air just below his face, arching an eyebrow. “Are we still friends?”

“The invitation is extended to the Isa _I_ knew.” he says scathingly, the sharpness in his tone undisguised. “But I'm still not sure about _you_.” He says, pointing the ice cream at him in accusation. He hadn't managed to figure it out this whole time, still hadn't figured out why Isa remained on their side. “Damn it, Isa… What the hell are you doing? Why are you still working for them?! I know you probably didn't have a say in the matter earlier but-”

“What?” Isa interrupts, confusion evident.

“When you recompleted! I know they collected you for their little bad guys club, I saw it with my own eyes! But you don't have to continue siding with them! If-”

“Do you know why Xemnas added Xs in our names as nobodies?” Isa interrupts again.

“Huh?” Where was this coming from all of a sudden?  “No, can't say I do.”

“They call it the Recusant's Sigil. Recusants… People who refuse to obey authority. He was marking us, branding his potential vessels as a way of warning, a way of taming them. If they refused orders or betrayed the Organization he could use it to track them down. He had it all planned from the start. We were in over our heads, Lea.”

“But I'm not a nobody anymore!” And god he hoped that was all it took to make his sigil useless because he'd still been using the name Axel with some of these people and it’d be pretty bad if the Xehanorts were tracking _him_. “If you stick with us, we could help you too! I could help you!” He looks at Isa, imploring, a hopelessly desperate look in his eyes. “Please, Isa… just let me help you. We've already drifted so far apart since we became nobodies… I just want us to be Lea and Isa again.”

Isa says nothing for a long time, head silently turning to face the setting sun when he breaks eye contact. Fingers idly trace the lines of his scar before he finally speaks up. “There's a reason I was one of the chosen vessels. Xemnas…do you remember when he etched the sigil into my skin? We were so eager to get on his good side, to avoid suspicion, that I agreed immediately. It had been a test of loyalty, but he said it would serve as a warning to the others too. Now I understand why.” Isa gets up then, doesn't look at Lea as he turns his back to him. “There's no helping me. The Organization does not take lightly to betrayal, as I'm sure you'll recall. You'd do best to remember that.”

“Me, Roxas, our lost friend… There's no saving any of us. You need to face the facts.” There's an almost imperceptible change of tone as Isa says that, but he doesn't know what to make of it. He can tell he's trying to get a rise out of him though, and it works. “Oh yea? I'll show you! I'll show all of you! I'm going to get everyone back, even if it's the last thing I do!”

Isa has the audacity to fucking _laugh_ at him, but somehow it feels less mocking and more good-natured, and he thinks he can see the slight upturn of a smile on Isa’s face as he turns his head back slightly to address him. “Of course. I expect no less from you.” But before he can make heads or tails of the sudden change in nature, Isa leaves through a dark corridor, leaving him alone again with dripping ice cream and drifting thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fated battle plays out a bit differently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took forever. Life kicked it in gear to remind me I can't just ignore my responsibilites and write, unfortunately. This chapter was also notoriously hard to write and I still feel like I didn't do any of them right but I'm also tired of looking at it so it goes up now lol.

The amount of times their group is almost overwhelmed by a, quite frankly, ridiculous amount of heartless, nobodies, and unversed is too close for comfort and he starts to doubt his training.

He knows Guardians of Light don't use weapons that aren't keyblades, but he can't help being reminded this whole keyblade business was a bit impromptu for him, and the urge to just switch back to his chakrams after all this time is nigh impossible to ignore.

Thankfully, he has Kairi backing him up, and together they make up the difference.

He relaxes when Sora steps in to steal the show, and again when Master Yen Sid swoops in to stop them from being torn to shreds, but gets set right back on edge when the members of Organization XIII led by none other than Xehanort himself finally shows up. A labyrinth of sorts is formed around them and the sense of finality of it all hits him like a truck.

He doesn't head in immediately, loitering around the entrance, frozen in his tracks as several questions, doubts, and fears swim across his mind.

He's taken out of his reverie by a hand on his arm, and he looks down to see Kairi regarding him with worried eyes. “Are you okay?”

His hand flys to the back of his head, embarrassed at having been caught so easily. “Yea. Sorry to hold you up.”

As if reading his mind she says “Don't worry. Whatever happens in there, we can take it. You're stronger than you think.”

“Heh, right. Let's not keep them waiting, then.”

They rush past the other groups and as expected he finds Isa waiting for them. However, he also notes a dainty figure he doesn't recognize that moves into action alongside him as they approach. That strikes him as strange; Isa didn't play well with others, and the occasional mission he’d undertake in the previous Organization was usually a solo mission. Who had they gotten him to team up with this time?

He also finds it strange he doesn't recognize her, he knew almost everyone in the Organization, and even then everyone else at least removed their hoods once the fights began. No point in keeping secrets now anyways.

His mounting curiousity grows the longer they battle, reaching a boiling point when he realizes the supposed figure switches between a keyblade- and just why _did_ they have one- and Isa's own weapon.

It's a struggle to stay concentrated every time their keyblades meet now, as he tries to keep with the flow of battle instead of giving into the urge to just sit there and puzzle things out. The feeling that he's forgetting something that's just on the tip of his tongue burns like a bonfire and he has to bite his cheek to remain focused on the fight at hand.

Just when he thinks his head might explode if they keep this up, Sora shows up and the three regroup.

But if he thought he had it bad, when Sora encounters the figure he's absolutely spellbound.

The figure runs towards Sora now, keyblade ready to bring down on him but Sora doesn't move to block it, frozen in place. “You're…!”

“Watch it, Sora!” Before the figure can reach him, Lea jumps in and blocks the strike, catching the figure off guard. Using the moment of surprise to his advantage, he sends the keyblade sailing from her hands in one fluid motion. She retracts a step, as if burned, unable to react, and in that moment Sora lunges past him to grab at her wrist.

“That's enough! You don't have to do this… Xion!”

 _Xion…?_ The sensation from earlier returns in full force, the name making him clutch his head in pain.

There was a girl wasn’t there? Suddenly he remembers two on the clocktower beside him- not just Roxas but another. Had there always been two?

No. There hadn't. She had come later. That's right, this girl- the Organization-

They made her.

It clicks. Xion, the fourteenth. A puppet made from Sora's memories- no, more than that.

His friend.

“Xion!” When he looks up this time he sees her face as he remembers it, and the look of relief at having been remembered melts him. Sora beams at them, grinning like an idiot.

They're taken out of the moment by a gasp from behind that reminds them that Kairi has just barely been dodging Isa's attacks this whole time and Sora leaves him and Xion to go help her out.

He really should go help them out, but he _needs_ this. He has to make sure she's ok and that she understands she doesn't have to keep fighting.

He needs to be here for someone for once.

“Axel…?” she approaches him now, voice wavering with unshed tears.

The circumstances are less than ideal, but that doesn't stop him from encompassing her in a hug. He can feel her shaking against him, and he strokes the back of her head gently in an attempt to calm her. “ _Shhhh, it's okay, Xion._ You're home now.”

Xion, ever cognizant of her surroundings, breaks away first. He understands the implication. They'll have time for this later, when everyone is safe and sound, when the worlds aren't in danger. She trusts him, and it's more than he can ask for.

A noise from behind them returns his attention to the matter at hand, and with a start, he sees Isa bearing down on them with a cry of “Pay attention!”

He just barely gets his blade up in time, but suddenly Isa jumps back, making no move to follow up on the attack, and seconds later he sees why as Xemnas appears from a corridor.

On instinct, Sora tries to charge Xemnas before he can make a move forcing Isa to step in and keep him and Kairi occupied. Xemnas pays them no heed and instead marches over to where Lea and Xion stand.

“So the traitor and the puppet have teamed up…”

He doesn't miss the way Xion shrinks further behind him as he nears.

He isn't going to let Xemnas touch her as long as he's standing.

“She's not a puppet! And she doesn't work for you or the Organization anymore!”

“Is that right? Then perhaps she should join your fate.”

He throws an arm out in front of Xion protectively, inviting Xemnas to focus only on him, knowing that he may as well be signing his death wish.

However, Xemnas refuses to entertain the idea. “How I regret not turning you into a dusk while I had the chance. My energy will not be wasted on the likes of you two.”

With the wave of a hand Xemnas wills a spiral of laser like projectiles around them, and Lea understands what's happening.

Perhaps they could block all or some of them.

Or perhaps they won't manage to counter any of them.

He isn't about to wait around to see how many hits Xion will be able to take before collapsing.

Before she can react, he shoves her down forcefully, out of range of the attack.

Of course it isn't long before he joins her, cursing his inability to stay upright after only one attack.

“Axel!” Xion is on her feet again, anger and concern fighting for dominance on her face.  

With a surprising lack of fanfare, Xemnas simply shoves him aside. “You can wait your turn.” he offers as explanation, before turning towards Xion.

Previous fear replaced by resentment and judgement clouded by fury, Xion charges Xemnas herself.

Xemnas blocks this easily, retaliating with a strike of his own which sends her flying back with a cry.

Sora's head whips towards the noise, just in time to see Xion hit the floor.

“Xion!” Sora stops, momentarily distracted just in time for Isa to send him flying as well. He lands hard and can only look on in horror as Xemnas approaches Xion's prone body.

They watch for one agonizing moment as Xemnas moves to pierce Xion's heart, and Sora thinks he might feel his own soul escape him at the sight.

 _Maybe that wasn't too far from the truth_ he almost swears he hears Roxas say as a familiar energy fills the area, giving Xemnas pause and driving everyone to a halt.

Sensing danger, Xemnas moves back just in time to avoid Roxas crashing down from the heavens, as if undeterred by the physical limits of the human body and space itself.

“Hands off my friends.”

Lea almost wonders if he's finally going crazy.

“Roxas…!” he says in awe, still not entirely convinced he isn't hallucinating.

Xion quickly dispels that notion. “Roxas!”

As Xion moves to help Lea to his feet, Roxas regards them for a moment, almost apologetically. “Sorry I kept you guys waiting.”

Xemnas quickly reins things in, the normally composed nobody unable to hide his incredulity as he speaks over them “This is impossible! Where did you get a vessel?”

“Would you believe it was the same as you? You guys are getting sloppy.”

“Same as us?”

“Yea, looks like once was enough for a lot of the old organization members to figure out who to side with.”

“Ah I see... Zexion, Ansem the Wise…”

Roxas smirks then, as if he's in on something that's too good to be true. “And others too. Seems you're not all that good at winning over hearts after all.”

Xemnas’ face clouds, anger undisguised. “I don't need hearts. I will return them to the void from whence they came!”

Before anyone can even blink Xemnas teleports away then, grabbing Kairi in the process, and making to leave via corridor. Of course Sora doesn't just stand there and let it happen, but Xemnas disappears through the portal before he can get to it, Isa moving now to stand in their way.

Roxas and Sora make no move to initiate, wary but waiting for a signal, the air tense with a dangerous aura.

Lea speaks up from behind them. “Look around Isa, you're outnumbered. We don’t have to fight. You don’t have to do this!”

But Isa makes no move to back down, instead readying his claymore, and that's all the indication Roxas and Sora need to spring into action.

“No!” He lunges forward but is stopped by Xion, who just manages to keep him at bay.

“No, Axel, you can't!” Suddenly she pushes him back with more force than he'd expect possible from her and he stumbles a few steps, caught off guard.

Before he can right himself and attempt to dart past her she uses her keyblade to cast a magic spell. “Barrier!”

A magic barrier with a decent radius separates him from them now, and he'd wonder where she learned that, and might even be impressed, if it weren't for the fact that it was keeping him from stopping his best friends from murdering each other.

“Huh? Hey! Xion, no! You guys can't do this!” He all but screams at her as his fist bangs uselessly on the barrier.

Xion, for her part, looks no less devastated at the turn of events and this time it does take him by surprise, as he wonders what happened between now and the last time he saw Xion. Still, she makes no move to remove the barrier, instead uttering a surprisingly heartfelt “I'm sorry, Axel.” before going off to help her comrades, healing when necessary and landing a few long range hits of her own, but ultimately sticking to the sidelines as much as possible.

He doesn't have time to question why she's clearly holding back before he notices that Isa's doing so as well.

It's not much, and to anyone who didn't know him like Lea did they'd think he was crazy for even suggesting it. But Lea has been sparring with Isa long before the Organization came around and he knows when Isa's not giving it his all or intentionally handicapping himself. His reaction times are off, like he's ignoring his instincts to dodge or block some hits. And while he is still unleashing some particularly nasty hits, he's not locking directly on to any of his targets, and more so than it being the result of imprecision induced by rage, it looks like he's purposely aiming his hits to glance off them.

Like he doesn't actually want to fight.

And that hurts him more than if Isa had just been mindlessly following orders.

He can't just sit around and watch this.

Summoning his weapon, he finds it's not the keyblade that answers his call but his chakrams, and he doesn't have time to follow _that_ line of questioning into the abyss. As the familiar weights settle in his palms, he starts swiping at the wall in front of him with reckless abandon. The sounds of the fight in front of him become a din in the background of the blood rushing through his ears.

He can feel the section of magic starting to give way under his incessant force, and it makes him move faster, suddenly hopeful he can work things out before someone gets seriously hurt.

The wall finally gives way, shattering under the impact, and he rushes to where Sora is winding up a powerful attack and Roxas is about to rush Isa with a light magic combo and practically dives into the crossfire to get their attention. “Everybody stop!” He shouts, arms up, bracing himself for any attacks they might be in the middle of and unable to stop. To his surprise nothing hits him, and when he opens his eyes he finds everyone actually listened to him. The three keyblade wielders shuffling awkwardly in front of him, unwilling to continue after his interruption-or maybe not seeing a need to.

As for Isa-

“Fight me... or get out... of the way…” Isa says through heavy breaths.

It's not so much refraining from fighting so much as it doesn't look like he's actually able to move fluidly enough to perform any attacks. The arm holding his claymore is just barely keeping it above the ground and his body is shaking with the effort of remaining upright. The adrenaline is clearly wearing off.

“No! Christ, look at you! You can barely stand straight.” He approaches Isa slowly, so as not to set him off, until they're only a few feet apart. “Just give it a rest, please… Isa.” he says, tentatively grabbing the hand not holding the weapon with both of his own.

Isa staggers a bit before shifting the arm holding his weapon forward from behind him. Lea drops his hand and takes a step back, flinching at the movement, prepared to have the weapon slam into his side, but quickly relaxes when Isa instead embeds the weapon in the ground in front of them. Lea can't help but think it's Isa trying to put some sort of makeshift barrier between them, even now.

“C'mon Isa, don't be like this…“ Isa has sunk to his knees now but stubbornness keeps the weapon manifested, and his grip on the weapon remains knuckle-white.

Lea's patience runs thin, seeing the lengths Isa would go through just to keep him locked out. He can't stop the hurt that floods his voice. “At least give me a reason! Just tell me why you did all this!”

“That's simple... I was jealous.”

Lea hadn't expected him to say _that_. “Jealous?”

“Yes… jealous you just… made new friends… and forgot about us.”

“That's not it.” Lea says with conviction.

It was Isa's turn to be surprised “What?”

“Yea, maybe I'd buy that you were just doing this because you were jealous before- in fact the more I think about it, I probably should've realized that sooner- but that's not what's going on here, so just drop the act, will ya? I want the _truth_. Why'd you pick a fight you knew you couldn't win? That you had no _intention_ of winning?” If he didn't get a serious answer soon, Lea was going to kill Isa himself.

He's certain he can feel Isa's resolve flickering, the weapon dematerializing with it sending him to the ground, palms just barely catching himself.

It feels like ages, but it must only be seconds, before Isa finally speaks up. “You know… as well as I do… this was the only way… The only way out of the Organization... is death. Now that they have defeated me, the Organization has… no use for me. Yes… if I make it back... I'll have to thank them for that.” Isa glances back at the three behind them.

So that's what this was about? Isa believed being in the Organization again was as good as condemning himself to death? It pained him to think Isa had so little faith in others- mostly him- that he refused to seek help or let Lea help him. That he'd sooner ask for _death_ than help, stubborn as he was.

As if with saying that all the remaining tension had drained from his body, Isa slumped the rest of the way to the ground, too tired to bother with any semblance of dignity or pride. He wasn't there long before Lea found his way onto the ground next to him, pulling him up so he could cradle his head in his lap.

“You _asshole_ … we could've found another way, damn it!” He's full-on crying now, onlookers be damned. He glares down at his friend through the tears, but there's no real bite to it. “When you get back I'm gonna knock some sense into ya! You and me are gonna have a _very_ lengthy discussion about trusting others.”

Isa cracks a small smile up at him. “Right… I'm looking forward to it.”

There's so much Lea wants to say, but their time right now is almost up and they're still kinda in the middle of a war so he holds his tongue.

“See you, Isa. I promise.”

“See you, Lea.”

Lea watches as Isa- and he knows he should have probably associated most of this with Saïx and not Isa, because when he comes back he really will be Isa, but Lea never did because he had _always_ been Isa to him- goes up in wisps at an agonizingly slow rate that reminds him too much of his last “death.” And yet, he finds himself unable to tear his eyes away from the scene. It still makes him nauseous, but then again seeing someone's life- non-life? - essence float away is not something he wants to get used to.

He sits there for a moment, time lost to him, before clearing his head and finally getting up to acknowledge the three awkward bystanders.

Sora looks around at the three of them with a knowing look. “Well I've gotta run, but we'll catch up later, right?”

“Yea. You go help Kairi.” Never one for doom and gloom, Lea smiles “Do me a favor and kick Xemnas’ ass for me.” he adds jokingly.

“Right!” Sora says before running off.

Lea looks at the two of them and wonders what is the most important thing to say right now, before realizing with a start that this is the first time they've been together like this, just the three of them, in over a year.

He doesn't know who starts it, but one of them starts sniffling, and once that happens the floodgates are released and they all collectively choose to ignore any and all questions and thoughts in favor of just _being_ there with each other in that moment, hugging one another.

He knows later when it's all said and done there'll be plenty of questions for everyone, and he's got some of his own, but right now all that matters is that they're here and aren't going anywhere as long as he's holding them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it obvious I can't write fight scenes yet?
> 
> I'm sorry Kairi... I don't really know how to write you.
> 
> (I hope this wasn't too cliche >_<)


End file.
